Rotech Subsea Appoints Regional Manager to Launch Asian Base

Mass-flow excavation (MFE) specialists Rotech Subsea has appointed Regional Manager Barry Silver to open a base in Singapore to cope with swelling opportunities in the region.

The company, which operates a unique and patented range of T tools, has enjoyed growing interest for its services in the oil and gas rich region and establishing a formal Asia-Pacific base was the next step in providing the best service to its current and potentialclients. The base will also service the Australian market but there are plans to open a base in Perth, Western Australia within the next 12 months if expected demand is met.

Rotech Subsea had a presence in the region for almost four years, previously with a dedicated Asia Pacific representative and more recently serviced from the Aberdeen base. But establishing an office in Singapore’s Orchard Road and storing three of its tools at the Loyang Offshore Supply Base will allow Rotech Subsea to respond to clients withinhours rather than weeks.

Regional Manager Barry Silver heads up the team, which is estimated to be 20 full-time staff in a year to 18 months. Barry has lived in the region for three years and has 10 years’ experience in the subsea sector bringing a wealth of knowledge to Rotech Subsea about not only the sector, but also the intricacies of the vast Asia Pacific market.

He said: It is a very important marketplace for Rotech Subsea to firmly entrench itself within. The oil and gas sector across the globe remains strong and South-east Asia is really soaring. With multi-billion dollar commitments from all major operators, the future is very exciting for Rotech to lead the way with our experiences in subsea excavation.

“And this market brings its own challenges and excitement. It is an extremely vast area but one that is buoyant throughout – purchasing budgets are at an all time high.

“There will be numerous continued developments offshore in the coming years, some in new shallow fields and others in deep water, bringing the inevitable pipeline infrastructure that our equipment is very well proven to be suitable of trenching. The whole region has subsea soil conditions of the sort that is perfect for our equipment.

“Our presence in the region is vitally important – making ourselves known within the Asia Pacific market to clients we have worked with elsewhere, and ensuring new clients know who we are and what we do is integral to our success in the region.”

Rotech Subsea was launched in 2001 in Aberdeen, Scotland, when Rotech Group Directors Ken Stewart and Dr. Hector Susman designed and patented the company’s unique T excavation system, which are now recognised as the world’s leading mass-flow subsea excavation tools.

The tools work by using two counter-rotating propellers to channel a powerful flow of water downwards to clear subsea material, rocks and mud in a process called mass-flow excavation.Technicians use live sonar feedback to adjust power levels and as there’s no physical contact with the sea floor or structures, there is little risk of damage.

Previously, the alternative was to use cumbersome dredging equipment and costly support vessels which meant some jobs took up to five times longer with the added risk of damaging seabed installations or pipelines.

Rotech Subsea’s turnover in the first year was £125,000 and the company employed just three staff from its Aberdeen base. It now also has a base in Houston, Texas. In the 06/07 tax year turnover exceeded £10million and 28 projects were completed.

Rotech Subsea President Kenneth R Mackie said: “I want to service my existing clients better and be able to show prospective clients how serious and dedicated we are in doing business in the Asia Pacific region.

“Rotech Subsea is a great success story. We have a superb product which our ever-growing client base is very happy to use because it not only provides a solution to a wide range of challenges, but delivers the job cheaper, faster and more effectively than what existed before.

“But despite our successes, we have been very conscious about not standing still and that is why firmly establishing ourselves in Singapore is so important.”